Buy advice, Fast commuter (Trek FX 7.6 or RB Flight 05 or ?)

brumster

Not quite a newb to the road but time to upgrade.........

Morning all, I'm wondering if there's anyone out there who's up for sharing their thoughts with me. I'm on the search for a fast hybrid to replace my ageing Ridgeback which is too heavy and slow for the 23 mile round trip I'm doing on a daily basis.

I've got about 800 to spend and so far I've narrowed it down to:

Trek FX 7.6
or
Ridgeback Flight 04

The main difference between the two being the Shimano Alfine hub on the RB (and the fact that it comes with disk brakes)

Anyone got any comments on my choices? Or for that matter do you have any other recommendations?

Roastie

Alfine über alles.

Flight.

Aidy

Why a hybrid?

I've jumped to road bikes recently (mountain bike background), and found the transistion to drop bars suprisingly easy.

brumster

thanks for the response Aidy,

Bit of background, about 3 weeks I walked into a shop and asked about a road bike, given my mileage and the quality of the roads I've been advised by a number of different sources to stick with a hybrid but go for something that will be fast hence looking at the bikes discussed.

In addition to that:

1. I prefer a slightly more upright position so the drop wouldn't really get used.
2. As stated the frame has to hold up to some pretty crappy roads
3. Not only the roads but I'm a big guy, heavy anyway at about 15 Stones, (plus a couple of pounds)

Initially I was looking at the Trek, then I went down the road of looking at the possibility of disk brakes whick led me to the RB 04, had that had had a Tiagra gear set I'd have probably bought it already. the addition of the hub into the equation has just confused things!

worst of all I'm like a kid at christmas, I want my new kit,. I just can't decide what it's going to be.........

Deadeye Duck

if it's bad roads that are stopping you from picking a road bike, have you thought of something like the Spesh tri-cross? The majority of people I know with drops rarely use them anyway, they pretty much stay on the hoods.

brumster

Agreed, everyone I clock each journey is on the hoods so I don;t really see the point of getting drops. I guess the ideal is a lightweight / fast hybrid with disks, something that will probably last a little longer than a road bike. The only thing I can find in my price range 800- 900 is the RB 04 which threw me the curve ball of the alfina hub.

Will have a nose at the cross kit and see if I can find anything, as I want to do some touring as well as my commute (95% commmute, 5% tour) I can't see the point of drops if I'm not going to use them.

Cheers
Paul

biondino

I only use the drops in the wind (or if I need a couple of extra mph) but I'm bloody glad they're there when I do need them! As ever, it's worth test riding all the potential types of bike and seeing which you prefer. Drops have the advantage of several hand positions (3 even if you don't use the drops) and hoods are much more comfortable than bar ends on a flat bar.

If you're intending to buy from the lbs who gave you advice, they should be fine with you test-riding a number of bikes. If they're not, then you should take your custom elsewhere.

brumster

the lbs are a Trek re-seller and don't stock the RB, agreed I need to sit on the thing and give it a whirl. Just trying to reign myself in :-)

Advice noted on the drops. Thanks.

Eau Rouge

You live in England, unless we're talking about some wild single-track in the Scottish Highlands or middle of Dartmoor that the council has forgotten even exists, the roads will be fine for a road bike.
Road bikes are not at all at all delicate, you can throw a road bike down cobblestones all year without any fear of breaking it. Your not going to break a road bike by riding it. Bashing it off a tree-stump might, but thats going to break anything.
Road comfort is mostly a product of tyre size. The reason they bike shops think you need a hybrid for the "rough roads" is becuase they want to stick you with 28mm or 32mm tyres to soak it all up, which they will do. They will also be s-l-o-w and hard work. To go faster you'll need 23mm or 25mm tyres. You won't feel your riding on a magic carpet, but unless your tackling the Arenburg Forest cobbles you'll be fine.
As for being 15st, that actually isn't massive, remember the bike doesn't care how tall you are. Again though, the frame isn't your concern here, anyone making a frame that can't take 15st shouldn't be in the bike business to begin with, and isn't. Your concern should be the wheels. Rought roads and 15st, I'd stay away from £1000+ carbon wheels. At 15st you probably not going to stress a half-decent factory wheel anyway, but if it really worries you (or you think you'll be carrying a load often) some 32 or 36 spoke wheels might be a furture upgrade.
I don't see any reason to rule out a road bike really. That before we get to the more comfortable to use drop bars.....
As for using the drops, I do into the wind, or decending at speed, especially when I come off the bottom of the hill and try to conserve as much of the momentum as possible along the flat. It's much easier to push like that in the drops, and far more efficient. Once I'm back to normal speeds it's back to the hoods again. They do get used and I wouldn't be without them.
BUT
Don't let us talk you into buying a bike you're at all unsure about. If you really think your going to be happier on a hybrid, buy one, don't mind us.

brumster

Thanks for that post, definetly appreciated.

Well let's just say that I wanted a road bike from day one and my initial reaction to being told it wasn't ideal was not a good one, have you ever seen a grown man in a bike shop sulking?

So let's assume that drop bars are back on the agenda andf a possibility. If I can abuse you guys for a little while longer............

Should I be bothering with disc brakes or not ? And are there any thoughts out there if my main desires are:

Something fairly fast and light (23 mile round trip).
Something I can tour with (it needs to take a panier)

Am i edging towards a cyclo cross bike as mentioned by the duck man earlier?

Any thoughts?

Paul

amnezia

I got the same advice sometime last year when i bought a bike through ride to work scheme. After about 8 weeks of riding the hybrid i wished i'd got a proper road bike. Got one in January this year and have never looked back. I find it more comfortable than the hybrid for commuting.

I don't think you need a cross. You can stick panniers on most bikes without a problem.

You won't need disc brakes.

£800 will get you a very decent first road bike.

brumster

Thanks amezia.

So whilst I'm pushing my luck, any suggestions of how I dispose of 800 notes on a road bike?

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/c ... e=&x=0&y=0

NB: Can't do sale prices as I have a voucher.

Stuey01

You'll want a proper rack if you are going to be using panniers, which means you need rack eyelets. Most road race type bikes won't have these. Be careful not to buy something that won't meet your requirement.

Disc brakes are not really needed. Nice - yes, needed - no.

brumster

Yep already have panniers for my current bike. So I want a road bike that has eyelets to take my rack. On with the search.

Paul

The Chingford Skinhead

If you want a hybrid then get a hybrid. There is often an obsessive element on this forum that hybrids are the devil's spawn and anything but a road bike is somehow wrong.

Your choice of road bikes will be reduced if you want mudguards and panniers and despite what you may have heard thinner tyres do indeed make for a firmer and therefore more uncomfortable ride on rough roads. Disc brakes on your hybrid will also be more effective, indeed normal brakes on a hybrid will be more effective than the type on road bikes - and braking from hoods is less effective than braking from the drops.

Don't rule either type out. Ask to try a few but get a bike that is going to suit your commute and your prefered riding style.

I've got both and personally find the flat bars more comfortable, the braking more secure, the slightly fatter tyres more comfortable, the upright riding position better in traffic and the slightly heavier bike frame gives me less skittishness and thus better stability. Maybe I just can't "handle" a fast bike but there's more to commuting than speed.

I've probably just confused you more so apologies.

JonS123

Im going to butt in a bit as im about to use C2W on a "hybrid" and just wanted to find out do disk brakes suffer from gray gunge you get on rims on a wet winters day that ruins braking syndrome?

theyid

amnezia wrote:

I got the same advice sometime last year when i bought a bike through ride to work scheme. After about 8 weeks of riding the hybrid i wished i'd got a proper road bike. Got one in January this year and have never looked back. I find it more comfortable than the hybrid for commuting.

I don't think you need a cross. You can stick panniers on most bikes without a problem.

You won't need disc brakes.

£800 will get you a very decent first road bike.[/quote

Don't say that I just got my trek 7.6 and am very happy with it. What made you think of a change though?

steveevo

Brumster,

I recently asked for similar advice and got a lot of "get a drop bar" replies too.

I tried a drop bar for a couple of hours and just didn't like the riding position like you, especially in heavy traffic, never quite felt 100% in control.

Anyway, I stuck to my guns and got a hybrid. Tried a Trek and a Specialized first but in the end I went for the Boardman Hybrid Pro Ltd, only available through Halfords.

Absolutely delighted with the bike, I do a 27 mile round trip commute and the Boardy is brilliant, it's fast, very comfortable and it felt just right straight away. I honestly cannot fault the bike in any way, I'm no expert at all but I know that this is a very, very good bike.

If £1,000 is a bit out of your range they do a Hybrid Pro for £800, same frame and wheels just a bit less spec on the other bits, but still a very good bike and well worth consideration.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

Hope you get the right bike for your needs, I know for sure that I did

brumster

Cheers Steveevo, quite amusing, I was looking at the Boardman right up until I relaised they don't do cyclescheme :-o

got a couple of test rides to do today and tomorrow and I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

P